Feeding millions across the country

In South Africa, a significant portion of the population (~50%) lives under the poverty line, with many working in the informal sector.

For these people, and the countless now facing unemployment, the enforced COVID-19 lockdown is making food insecurity a reality. While government has announced food aid initiatives, more needs to be done.

Food hamper relief

Through our FirstRand Volunteers and the SPIRE fund, we have donated over R3-million to Gift of the Givers and Ray of Hope, both non-profit organisations, to assist with food parcels for vulnerable households across the country.

Improving food security in Mpumalanga

In a bid to help alleviate the scourge of hunger in Mpumalanga, RMB and FNB have donated R3m from the SPIRE fund to assist FoodForward South Africa (“FFSA”) set up operations in the province. FFSA is widely respected for the impactful work it does in redirecting quality, edible surplus food, which would have gone to waste to vulnerable communities, to sustainably eliminate hunger.

The R3m committed by RMB and FNB will go towards the initial infrastructure costs of FFSA expanding into Mpumalanga. Once at scale, FFSA would be able to feed approximately 20,000 to 25 000 people per day in this province.

Caring through grain

Grain Care and the SPIRE fund - through RMB and FNB - have launched a substantial grain campaign aimed at providing maize meal to vulnerable communities. R1 million, equating to approximately 500 000 meals, has already been committed to assist vulnerable communities within Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Free State and the North West.

To read more about this impactful maize initiative click here.